CHAPTER NINE
Cam and Daryl waited for Rachel outside the front of the council building.
It was late now, the sky an inky black and the moon bright above them.
Alpha Wallace had offered them accommodation for the night, considering the hour and all they’d been through, but Cam needed to get back to his pack, and Rachel needed to get ready.
She skipped down the front steps, a huge smile on her face that she didn’t try to contain. Leaving Sara again hurt, but nowhere near as much as before because tomorrow afternoon they’d be meeting again on her father’s pack territory, and later that night they’d complete their bond.
Fuck.
Rachel still struggled to believe it was happening.
“Hey,” she said as she approached the car. “Sorry for taking so long.”
Daryl rolled his eyes, but Cam smiled at her. “We weren’t about to rush you saying goodbye to Sara.”
“Thank you.”
They got in the car, and Daryl started the engine. Everything had happened so fast after Sara came out from seeing her father, Rachel hadn’t had a chance to talk to Cam properly. They had a lot to discuss.
“I spoke to my father,” she said, sitting forward in her seat. “He’s overjoyed at having Sara and I bond on his land, now that everything’s been sorted with Alpha Gallen.”
Cam turned in his seat, putting his back to the door to face her better. “That’s great. I’m so happy things worked out for the two of you.” He reached out to grip her hand and gave it a squeeze.
Rachel grinned at him. “All thanks to you and Alpha Cornell. I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to thank you enough.”
“Knowing you get to complete your bond is all the thanks we need.” He laughed softly. “Although I’ve done myself out of a beta. Not sure Nathan’s ready to step into that role yet but—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Rachel said.
Cam raised an eyebrow. “I assumed you’d want to return to your father’s pack after you’d bonded with Sara. Since that was the reason you had to leave in the first place.”
“A lot’s changed since then.” She paused, wanting to get the words right. “I’vechanged. After everything you’ve done for me, I would never leave you without a beta on such short notice. Assuming you want me to stay, of course, I’m here until you’re happy for Nathan to take over.”
Cam looked surprised and pleased, and Rachel’s heart warmed at the fact she’d put that look on his face. “What about Sara?”
“We want to be together. As long as that happens, then we’ll be happy wherever we are.” She bit her lip. She and Sara had only talked about this fleetingly, but now was as good a time as any to ask Cam. “About Sara…”
“Yes?” Cam asked when she didn’t elaborate.
Daryl snorted in the front seat. “Told you.”
Rachel looked from Daryl to Cam, then back again. “Told him what?”
Daryl met her gaze in the rear-view mirror. “I said Sara’d want to join our pack since she’s going to be without an alpha. At least while you’re still with us anyway.”
She gaped at them both, unsure what to say next.
Cam took pity on her. “And I said I’d be more than happy to welcome her into our pack, for as long as she wants, if the council agree.”
“Thank you,” Rachel managed, so overcome with gratitude that anything more eloquent was beyond her at that point.
“We look after pack, Rachel. Always.”
She was so full of feeling at that moment, her chest ached. In a good way this time. She smiled back, hoping her expression showed him how much she appreciated everything he and his pack had done for her. And now Sara.
A yawn took her by surprise, and she quickly covered her mouth. “Sorry.”
